


Can't Pretend

by Shadows_echoes



Series: A Series of One-shots [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Based on this prompt: “Half the time I get too embarrassed to say anything”, Gen, Other, Second-Hand Embarrassment, Some Fluff, Some Humor, Some pining, maybe? - Freeform, one swear word?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 06:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16805362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadows_echoes/pseuds/Shadows_echoes
Summary: “Half the time I get too embarrassed to say anything.”





	Can't Pretend

“Detective, may I ask you a personal question?”

Blinking, you look up from your computer screen to find Connor hovering beside your desk. You have the absurd, irrational urge to look over your shoulder to see if he is addressing someone else, but his gaze is unmistakably fixed on you.

“Uhh… sure?”

As Connor takes a seat in the empty chair in front of you, you chance a glance across the room. Connor’s own desk is empty, obviously, but so is Hank’s. In fact, many of the desks in the precinct are empty since most of the day shift had already gone home. So why is Connor still here? And why is he-

“What is your problem with me?”

The question is not asked harshly; Connor seems more curious and confused than insulted. 

It only adds to your mounting confusion.

“What?” you blurt, unsure if you heard him correctly and entirely taken aback regardless. “Why would you think I have a problem with you?”

“You have repeatedly avoided interacting with me whenever the option is available,” he elucidates. “It’s not an altogether uncommon behavior considering what I am, but it is… strange considering that I have not noticed you display such behavior towards other androids and the fact that you actively sided with us during the revolution.”

_Ohhh._

Right.

_Well shit._

You feel like a deer caught in headlights, and you’re certain you look the part too.

Your immediate instinct is to deny the accusation wholeheartedly, to lie right to Connor’s soft face and tell him that you have done no such thing, but you know that would never work. Not with him.

And, alright, _maybe_ you _have been_ avoiding him.Just a small bit. But the two of you were acquaintances at best, it’s not like it’s an odd thing for _work_ acquaintances to go a while without speaking. Besides, it’s not like you were going _completely_ out of your way to avoid him! Your cases rarely ever interacted with his, so what’s the big deal if you dodged the odd, random interaction here and there? It was the only way you could focus on your work! It was the only way to combat the… _feelings_ you had developed.

That, and you realized within moments of discovering the crush you have been harboring that Connor would probably be able to detect it in a single conversation with you. Not that it would be particularly difficult to figure out though, what with your rushed sentences, awkward silences, and the way your heart rate spikes whenever he’s around. You would be an open book to him. An open book with double-spaced lines and a bolded title reading: **_I Have A Massive Crush On You: I’m Too Awkward To Do Anything About It, However, So I’m Going To Avoid It (And You, By Extension) Like The Black Plague Until It Finally Dies Out._**

And damn, you really do hope your feelings fade rapidly because Connor is so attractive and genuinely nice that it is actually ruining your life. 

Perhaps you shouldn’t be, all things considered, but you are surprised he even noticed your slight change behavior to begin with. Then again, you didn’t think he actively paid attention to your interactions with himself and others either…

“Well, when you put it that way I do seem like a jerk, huh?” you chuckle. However, your attempt to shrug off this entire situation with some light self-deprecation is only met with silence and a patient stare. 

Whether or not Connor is truly unaffected by your actions, he certainly looks like it. There was no anger in his expression, just… puzzlement.

Why couldn’t he be frustrated? _Insulted_ , maybe? That would have made this _so_ much easier for you, it might even have cured you of your feelings altogether. But _nooo._ Connor just _had_ to approach the situation with maturity and respect, to try and solve an issue that does not even exist.

His big brown eyes are set under slightly furrowed brows and the look eats away at your resolve until there is nothing left. 

You sigh, positively dreading the explanation you know you’re about to give and the awkward few weeks that will surely follow it. After all, you suppose you would rather be mortified than be considered an asshole by an actually decent person whom you also admire.

“I have no problem with you, Connor,” you clarify. “It’s just that half the time I get too embarrassed to say anything to you and the other half I have no idea what to say, so I just… don’t say anything at all.”

Somehow, you manage to sound nonchalant about the whole thing and you send thanks to the universe for that small miracle. In fact, you almost sounded smooth- or as smooth as an admission like that could ever be. But it’s fine. Things are fine.

“Embarrassed?” he asks, tilting his head to the side. “Why?”

Things are _not_ fine.

Definitely _, definitely_ not fine. For fuck’s sake, why did he have to ask such a logical follow-up question?

“Do you want the answer that’ll make life easier for the both of us or the honest one?” you counter. After all, the two of you do work together in some sense. If he would rather-

“The latter.”

There was intrigue in his voice but absolutely no hesitancy, much to your dismay.

As bad as it is, you silently wish for an earthquake to occur. Or a flood. Or for _some_ emergency to arise so that you could escape this conversation and get out from under Connor’s shrewd gaze. But no holes open up beneath the precinct to swallow you whole and allow you to die of embarrassment in peace. _Naturally_ , the one time you might be _okay_ with some major crime occurring everyone in all of Detroit decides to be on their best behavior. Figures.

Heat rises to your cheeks, signing the certificate of your death. “Because I like you.”

There is a single moment in which Connor is processing your statement and he looks almost more confused than before… Then he finishes processing and realization dawns across his slackening features.

“ _Oh_.”

“ _Yeahhh…_ ”

The seconds begin to tick by in your head, each one more dreadfully awkward than the last, and you begin thinking up excuses to leave. Or for him to leave. Or for you to make a spontaneous and permanent move across the country because _why on earth did you think confessing to your crush was a good idea?_

“So you avoid me because you like me?”

It sounds like an honest question, like something Connor really does wish to double-check to ensure he understands the nuances correctly, but there is a glint in his eyes and something that looks _oddly_ like a smirk on his lips which makes you think otherwise.

Is he teasing you?

He _is_ teasing you.

You are literally getting teased by _Connor_ of all people. Wonderful. This is just… _great._

Although you can feel your face flush even more at his comment, you’re at least partially grateful because the awkwardness dissipates as your indignation increases.

“Oh, come on,” you say, aiming for a stern voice even as you fight back your own embarrassed smile. “You’ve been deviant for a while now, you can’t tell me you’ve _never_ avoided someone or a situation that makes you feel a bit flustered.”

The answer you receive is not given in so many words but rather by way of expression, and by the way he is looking at you with a small smile on his lips…

Maybe you really hadn’t been the only one doing some avoiding.


End file.
